The technology of submersible remotely operated vehicles

Technical Report · Fri Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:10124815

Today`s offshore underwater service industry is dominated by unmanned vehicles that act in many ways as a surrogate diver. These vehicles are called Remotely Operated Vehicles or ROVs. They come in many shapes and sizes, and are designed for many purposes: structural inspection, maintenance and repair; cleaning; pipeline and cable trenching; bulldozing; bottom surveying; nodule mining and a host of other tasks catering to industrial, military, scientific and recreational interests. There is no Webster`s definition of a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV). Indeed, if there was, there would have to be several definitions since no single one would describe the entire vehicle spectrum. As a rule all ROVs have three features in common: (1) they are unmanned; (2) a video or TV camera provides real-time and/or slow-scan optical viewing and (3) all have some degree of maneuverability. One convenient method of categorizing ROVs is by their means of propulsion and whether or not they are cable-connected to the surface. Using these criteria six different types of ROVs can be identified: (1) Tethered, free-swimming vehicles; (2) towed vehicles; (3) bottom-reliant vehicles; (4) structurally-reliant vehicles and (5) untethered or autonomous vehicles.

• Research Organization: American Gas Association, Inc., Arlington, VA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: American Gas Association, Inc., Arlington, VA (United States)
• OSTI ID: 10124815
• Report Number(s): PR--204-912; ON: UN92008151
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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